CONVENTION 2009 – THE SAGE, GATESHEAD

7 – 10 MAY 2009

Every year Coastline attend our annual convention when all the Sweet Adeline Choruses in the UK compete. The winners have the opportunity of attending our international convention in America, this year being held in Nashville.  So, with suitcases packed and lists checked and re-checked, this year we were on our way to Gateshead to perform in front of an audience of over 1,000 singers.  The auditorium at The Sage was a wonderful place to perform, having been designed with such wonderful acoustics that no microphones were required.

 On the Friday we all attended the Quartet Competition when two of our own quartets, Tonic and Cocktail, would be competing. This year there were more quartets competing than ever before with 27 taking part. The winners also have the opportunity of competing in America.  Due to the number of quartets this year the competition lasted over five hours! 

 Early Saturday morning we were back at The Sage to practise our walk on for the afternoon chorus competition, along with all the other choruses. This year we were delighted to have five new members with us competing for the first time. So, we walked on stage, stood on the risers under hot lights and sang briefly for the sound recording crew. At this stage we start to get excited knowing it would not be long before the real thing.  Later, with costumes donned, stage makeup complete, hair put in place and having been scrutinised, adjusted and inspected by our Wardrobe Mistress, we were ready. Suddenly, there we were on stage in front of our Musical Director, Rebecca Middleton, each one of us trying our best to give a good performance for the judges and audience. Whilst the judges’ results are gathered this is the time when everyone joins in a mass sing and what an amazing and moving sound this is with over a 1,000 voices singing in harmony.  Then, it’s over in a flash, the medal winners are announced and the auditorium erupts with the sound of all the medal winners’ delighted screams. 

On the Saturday evening we all head back to The Sage for the Show of Champions when all the winning choruses and quartets give their concert.  This year we were also given the treat of hearing the male British barbershop quartet silver medalists, Evolution.

 Then on Sunday, tired but energized, we board our coach for the journey back home, still singing along the way.  The shared camaraderie and unique experience of our trip will be with us for a long time yet.